How to turn on the new Dark Mode in Facebook Messenger
After promising a new “Dark Mode” for Messenger at its F8 developer conference last year, Facebook has begun rolling out the feature. It’s still a work in progress, but it appears to be available to a lot more users as of this weekend, on both the iOS and Android versions of the messaging app.
Dark Mode essentially lets you view Messenger with a black background, which some users find easier on the eyes, especially when they’re using the app at night. Personally, I’m not a fan because I get headaches from reverse type in general, but if you’re interested in trying out this new feature, I’ve put the instructions below. For now, the only way to unlock it appears to be through a fun little Easter Egg in the Messenger app, but it’s super simple:
Once you follow those steps, you’ll see an animation of raining moons with the message “You’ve Found Dark Mode!” Then you’ll have the option to enable it in your settings. If you’re not into Dark Mode once you try it, just tap Dark Mode in your settings to turn it off.
That’s pretty much it! If Dark Mode doesn’t work for you after you’ve followed the steps above, try the following:
Also worth noting: Facebook appears to be rolling out the feature incrementally. For instance, it didn’t work for me when I tried it (March 07, 2019), but it worked this morning. So it’s probably only a matter of time before all Messenger users get it. Now go enjoy the dark side.
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